Hundreds of Sea Turtles Found Frozen To Death Near Cape Cod

Anna Driver/REUTERS

The waters along Cape Cod Friday morning were filled with little bodies as nearly 190 sea turtles were found “frozen to death,” according to several news reports. The sea turtles perished en masse because unexpectedly low water temperatures prevented them from safely swimming ashore, NBC reported.

The Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary has said that “once in a lifetime” weather—including high winds and tide—effectively “incapacitated” these turtles. The nature society says it has found more than 400 dead sea turtles this fall.

Said Bob Prescott, Mass Audubon’s director:

“A lot of the turtles were found frozen in the water still. I picked up two to three myself that were still in the water, the slushy water.”

Scientists believe that shifts in sea turtles’ migration patterns over the last several decades as a result of climate change has put them at risk. Thirty years ago, these turtles came to Cape Cod in October but now, they tend to arrive in November—when water temperatures are far lower. Because marine waters are warming, turtles are expanding their ranges into potentially dangerous territories, one scientist told NBC.

The combination of warming waters and expanded ranges pose a risk to recent successes in sea turtle conservation.